Ilia Topuria was accompanied by a Real Madrid legend for the ceremonial weigh-in ahead of his title fight against Max Holloway.
Topuria will defend his UFC featherweight championship belt against Hawaiian star Holloway, who is looking to get back the title he lost to Alexander Volkanovski in 2019.
Topuria defends his featherweight belt against Holloway on SaturdayGetty
Friend and Real Madrid legend Ramos joined Topuria on stageGetty
Both fighters weighed in and faced off on Friday ahead of Saturday’s main event at UFC 308, but Topuria walked out with a familiar face – a footballer who won 22 trophies, including four Champions Leagues and five LaLiga titles across his career with the Spanish giants.
He also has lifted the World Cup and won two European Championships.
That glittering legend was none other than Sergio Ramos, the centre-back whose career spanned 20 years, playing for Sevilla, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
In February, soon after Topuria became champion after knocking out Volkanovski in the second round, the featherweight was given a standing ovation at Real Madrid’s stadium the Bernabeu.
The Georgian-born fighter, who moved to Alicante with his family 15 years ago, got a big pre-game hug from Ramos before meeting the Madrid players after their 1-0 victory over Sevilla.
Jude Bellingham missed that game with an injury, but the English midfielder was sure to get a picture with Topuria and his UFC belt after the victory.
Ramos was also at Topuria’s house training in his high technology gym which includes hyperbaric recovery and cryotherapy chambers.
This is not the first time the defender has been seen at a UFC event. In June 2023 Ramos and Barcelona player Ferran Torres were ringside at UFC Jacksonville to watch Topuria against Josh Emmett.
Topuria reigned victorious after a dominant display, bloodying the face of Emmett who somehow survived all five rounds.
In August Ramos was at the home of ‘El Matador’ to undergo some boxing classes.
Ramos and Topuria at the Bernabeu@iliatopuria – instagram
Finally, Ramos presented Topuria with a match-worn shirt that the Spaniard wore against the champion’s national team Georgia.
The pair embraced again and discussed their training session, before parting ways.
In their 30 year history the UFC has never hosted an event in Spain but Topuria may be the man to headline an exciting night to Madrid and possibly the 81,044 capacity stadium.
Speaking after his title winning fight earlier this year he said that he would be “in” for a Volkanovski rematch if it happens in his adopted country. “No f***ing problem”, the 27-year-old exclaimed.
Topuria was not happy with LaLiga who scheduled the El Clasico immediately after the end of the match:
“Maybe I got it wrong and instead of Holloway I will have to knock out the person responsible for scheduling El Clasico at the exact same time and day as my fight,” he said.
At UFC 308 Topuria, 27, will face a tough opponent in Holloway, who was the former champion of the featherweight division.
The United States national has been in good form, winning four out of his last five fights, including a victory against Justin Gaethje as the two stood in the centre and traded blows, which ended in a last round knockout.
